Connecting device.



' w. HLMcLAUG'HLIN & R. E. BABCOCK.

CONNECTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT 5. 19!].

' Patented Mar. 26,1918.

@Tihhllldh PATENT WILLIAM H. MoLAUGI-ILIN, OF HARTFORD, CGNNEC'IICUT, AND RICHARD E. BABCOCK, OF BARCBOFT, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOES, DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CASSIUS S. CHASE, OF HABTFQBD, CONNECTICUT.

CONNECTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

Application filed September 5, 1917. Serial No. 189,802.

1 b all whom it may concern:

it known that we, lVILLiAM H. Mo- LAUGI-ILIN and Brennan E. BABCOCK, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, and at Bareroft, in the county of Alexandria and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting Devices, of which the following is z specification.

This invention relates to connecting devices or fasteners intended by applicants more particularly for use with anti-skid chains, of the fixed point type, for automobile truck wheels. l-lowever, the invention is not at all limited to this use. but is capable of use to advantage in a great many ways in many different arts.

The primary object of this invention is to provide moans, movable with relation to each other and their base plate. to receive and hold chain links and the like against disengagement therefrom. Other objects are, to provide a base plate on and in which said parts move and by which they are held and braced; to provide for expeditious, easy and cheap repair or replacement of parts; to increase durability and simplicity and secure compactness, while at the same time decreasing the cost of manufacture, all of which objects, among others, are accomplished by the combination, construction and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more particularly set forth, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a device embodying our invention, the hooks being closed or in normal position;

Fig. 2, a top plan view thereof, in normal position;

Fig. 3 a similar view, one of the blocks 3 being moved laterally to open the hooks or separate their free ends; and

Fig. 4, a central cross-sectional view between the hooks and blocks, showing one of the hooks and its blocks in elevation, as well as the screw on which the cam is mounted.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, B indicates the base plate having perforated ofiset flanges or lugs '1), two in number and arranged on opposite sides of the respective end portions of said plate, for the reception of any suitable anchoring or securing means, not shown, to hold sald plate nnmovably to some object.

This plate B is provided with two undercut shoulders or flanges 1 presented toward each other and running transversely of said plate B and has a longitudinal rib 2 arranged adjacent one end of said shoulders or flanges 1.

The undercutting of the shoulders 1 forms lips 8 thereon presented inwardly toward each other at the same distance from the plate B and preferably having their lower faces presented at right angles to the inner faces of said shoulders.

Blocks 3, preferably having outer ends corresponding in shape to the recesses formed by said shoulders 1 and their lips 8, corresponding in width to the length of said shoulders and in length to slightly less than half the distance between the opposing inner faces of said shoulders or flanges 1 and having books at, are adapted to be slidably mounted on base-plate B with one side edge in contact with rib 2 and with their outer ends fitting under the lips S of the respective shoulders 1.

In this, their normal positioiu'the free ends of their hooks i will be alined and almost touching, closing the space embraced by said hooks l against egress or ingress of a chain link or the like, preventing the application or removal of a chain link or the like to or from either of said hooks 5L.

To look said blocks 3 with their hooks 4- in this, their normal position, a cam 5, having two faces at right angles, is pivotally mounted on said base plate B by means of a screw 6 having its upper portion smooth and its lower portion threaded to be received by an internally screw-threaded recess 7 in said plate B, the center of said recess being on the central transverse line of said plate and near one side thereof.

When the blocks 3 are in their normal position the cam 5 is to be turned into the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and a, with one face engaging the sides of said blocks 3 and the other face at right angles thereto engaging tl e tops of said blocks, thus holding them against lateral movement and their inner ends against any strain that might be put on the hooks in use tending to pull them away from said lease plate.

To open the hooks a or separate them it is simply necessary to turn the cam to the position shown in Fig. 3 and to slide one of the blocks 3 slightly out laterally of the base plate B, as shown in said figure, when the ends of the hooks i will be at an interval from each other permitting a chain link or the like to be applied or removed to or from either of said hooks 4,

The cam may have a handle 9 for c011- venient operation.

lVhen the blocks 3 are in their normal position the strain or pull will, naturally be longitudinally of the plate, so that practically all strain or pull will fall on the shoulders or flanges 1.

Both blocks 3 and their hooks l are identical in construction and transposable, and are to be made standard in shape and size, both as to the hooks and blocks, so that all such hooks and blocks will be identical in shape and size and may therefore be readily interchanged. Ot course tor applicants intended use two or three standard sizes of hooks, blocks and base-plates may be made, in which case all hooks and blocks within one of those sizes would be made so as to be interchangea'ble.

The shoulders or flanges l and rib 2 are preferably made integral with base-plate B, which may be of cast metal,

The hooks 4- are preferably made integral with their blocks 3, which are preferably of drop-forged steel.

Any suitable material may be used for any parts.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

.1. A plate, in combination with a plurality of blocks slidably mounted on said plate and provided with projections, and means for locking said blocks in normal position to hold the tree ends oi? said projeetions adjacent each other.

QLA plate, in combinatimi with a plurality of blocks adapted to be freely mounted on said plate and provided with projections, each of said blocks being adapted to have sliding movement with relation to each other and said plate, and means for locking said blocks in normal position to hold the free ends of said projections adjacent each other.

3. A plate provided with recesses, in combination with blocks having portions slidably received by said recesses, said blocks being provided with projections, and means for locking said blocks in normal position wherein the space embraced by said projections will be closedagainst the in-, gressor egress of a chain link or the like.

4. A. plate having opposing undercut shoulders, in combination with two blocks provided with hooks and having their outer port-ions slidably received in recesses formed by the respective shoulders, and means for locking said blocks in normal position with the free ends of their hooks adjacent to each other.

5. A plate having opposing undercut shoulders and provided with a stop, in combination with two blocks provided with projections and having their outer end portions slidably received in recesses formed by the respective shoulders, and means for locking said blocks in normal position with the free ends of their hooks adjacent each other, said stop acting to limit the travel of said blocks in one direction laterally of said shoulders.

6. A plate having integral opposing undercut shoulders and provided withca stop,

in combination with two blocks provided with hooks and having their respective outer ends received by recesses formed by the shoulders, and means for locking said blocks in normal position with the free ends of their hooks adjacent each other, said stop 'limiting the travel of said blocks in one direction.

7. A plate having integral opposing un dercut shoulders and provided with a stop, in combination with two blocks provided with hooks and having their respective outer ends slidably received inrecesses formed by the shoulders, and a cam for locking said blocks in normal position with the free ends of their hooks adjacent each other, saidstop limiting the travel of said blocks in one direction and said cam, in looking position, preventing the travel of said blocks in the opposite direction as well as in a direction at rightangles thereto.

WILLIAM H. McLAUGI-ILIN. RICHARD BABCOCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

